St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-03-17
The Railroad Commissioners at Last Name
IT. James to be Chief Inspector
of Grain.
D. R. Noyes and D. R. McGinnis and the
Bill to Provide for the State
Weather Service.
A Bill to Provide for Prof. Phelps
Salary at Duluth--The Overton
Case Concluded.
Doings In West st. Paul--Mafl Distr1-
buttons in lie Sueur--PriZe
Fighters Fined.
CHIEF GRAIN INSPECTOR.

T. A. James Receives the Appoint.
ment by the Railroad Commits
siom.-Was it II Political Trade!
The railroad and warehouse commission
ers held meeting yesterday and elected j.
A. James, of MankatO, chief grain IN
spector. Gen. Becker said that Mr.. james
was the unanimous choice of the board.
Gov. Austin remarked that all the deputies
were appointed by the chief Inspector, sub
iect to the approval of the board. MI.
Gibbs said that he was in favor of retaining
Mr.. Clauser at Minneapolis, and thought
the sentiment of the board was that way.
To reach an agreement on who should be
appointed chief grain inspector has caused
a good deal of trouble to the railroad com
missioners. 1t is given out cold, by men
who opposed Mr.. James appointment that
the appointment was practically dictated by
GOV. McGill through his relations with
Commissioner Austin, and was part oil q
quantity of goods to be delivered IL
has been an open secret for some
time that there was "a difference
of opinion on the proper man
for the place between Commissioners Gibbs
and Austin, while Gen. Becker, being the
Democratic member of the board, did not
wish to assume to vote with either of them
as the principal reason why the appoint
ment has been so long delayed, 1t is
charged by those who advocated the APP
pointment of either Mr.. Gilbert or Mr..
Clausen, that the question came down to
Blue Earth county against the rest OF the
state and that the appointment OF Mr..
James would be the carrying out of po-
ltical deal destined to hold Blue Earth
county, in which Mr.. James lives when at
home, solid for McGill. Mr.. Gilbert was
generally endorsed by the Duluth men and
Mr.. Clausen by Minneapolis men. who
claimed that Mr.. James had not sufficient
practical knowledge of the wheat business
to qualify him for the position of chief
grain inspector. Gov. McGill gave it out
to those who approached him that he was
NOT TAKING ANY HAND
in the matter, but had left the entire selec-
ton to the commission.
Representative Reese, of Kandiyohi
county, where Mr.. Clausen formerly lived,
called on the railroad commissioners yes
terday before the appointment was made
and made some very strong statements to
them. He said that if Mr.. James was
appointed it would be a death blow to Gov.
McGill if he ever wanted anything further
at the hands of the people. He said:
Kandiyohi county gave McGill about half
the majority he got at the last election. 1t is
a strong Republican county, and is consid-
cred safe under any circumstances. But
tell you the people will find there is a differ
ence between Republicanism and McGillism.
A large number of applicants besides
MessrS. James, ClauSen and Gilbert were
before the commission with backings of
more or less strength, but the place was
given to Mr.. James, thereby redeelning a
pledge. according to the stories. Mr..
Clausen was asked by GLOBE man yes
terday if it were true, as published. that he
had withdrawn his name in favor OF Mr..
Gilbert. This was before the appointment
was made. He said:
/ have not; nor in favor of anyone else. /
am for Clausen first, last and all the time as
long as there is show OF getting the place.
| am in the field, and told the commissioners
so this morning. Further than that l have
nothing to say on the case. 1t would not be
proper for me 10 discuss the merits of any
man for the position.
The appointment by the commission
created good deal of comment wherever
their action became known last night.
go M,GiNNrs VS.. MOVES.
A Merry.War Stirred up Over the Re-
port oar the State Weather Service
.sJust OUT of Respect TO McGinnis.',
The report of D. K. Moyes to the cham
Der of commerce OIL Monday in relation to
the state weather service and the card of
Mr.. McGinnis, accusing Mr.. Noyes of ian
imus" has caused good deal of talk among
those who are interested in this important
project The report of Mr.. Noyes gave
history of the service from its inception in
1882 to the present time, and the clause OBJ
iected to by Mr. McGinnis was the follow
ing:
In 1888 the chief signal officer detailed
Private McGlnnis to take charge of the CEN
trial office and assist in the organization of
the central Office remaining at Mortified I'M
til February, 1885, About this time Private
McGinnis was dismissed and Private c. E.
Brandenburg took his place.
d. R. McGinnis was asked yesterday
about the matters alluded to in his card
published in the GLOBE, in which he stated
that the ''animuS" of D. r. Noyes in re-
porting to the chamber of commerce that
he (McGinnis) was dismissed from the
United States Signal service, was prompted
by the fact that he opposed Mr.. Moves
"'little bilP' to saddle the cost of the state
weather service on the state. When the
state weather service was established Mr..
McGinnis was appointed from Washington
as observer, a position which he resigned
last summer to accept an editorial position
on the Farmer. He says that although he
sent in his resignation and asked to be al
lowed to leave the department in June. it
was only in the latter part of August after
repeated requests, that he was allowed to
do so, and the the correspondence in rela-
ton to the matter is now on file in the sig
nal Office in this city.
Mr.. McGinnis said he did not like to saw
anything about the matter and particularly
he declined to stir up a sensation i'll the
newspapers, but he resented the imputa-
tion that he was dismissed from the service.
east at him by Mr.. Noyes in his report.
Mr.. McGinnis explained that the state
weather service was conducted BY an OBJ.
server paid by the United States, and that
the kilograms were all sent out free by the
different railroads; that Prof. William w.
Payne, OF Carlton college, had been made
director by the st. Paul chamber of com
merce. and that the little bill" was bill
before the last legislature to make an ap-
preparation for this service. This bill pro-
vided that the state service should be under
the direction
OF FIVE MANAGERS,
viz, the president of the State Agricultural
society, the president ofthe State Historical
society and the meteorological committee of
the chamber of commerce, which consisted
of D. r. Noyes, Thomas Cochran, Jr., and
Prof. Phelps; it provided SO, 600 for the
service, 5000 to go to the chamber of com.
merce for what it had expended in paying
Prof. Payne $50 per month for
year, 5000 as the salary of a
director for the service and S1,1OO for
pickings, travelling expenses, etc. DIR. Nc
Ginnis explained the absurdity of the state
DESIGNATING an ordinary oitizan 70 ha +l,o